1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an electrostatic discharge (ESD) device and, more particularly, to an ESD device capable of functioning as a diode during normal IC operation and as a parasitic SCR structure during an ESD event.
2. Description of Related Art
ESD devices have been widely used in integrated circuits to prevent damage caused by static electricity. Generally, ESD devices occupy essential die space of integrated circuits, which increases manufacturing cost. Furthermore, due to the propagation characteristics of conducting wire and a large dimension of general ESD devices, current flowing through ESD devices is not uniform, which may affect the electrical characteristics, such as breakdown voltage, of the ESD devices.
Therefore, an ESD device occupying reduced essential die space with improved electrical characteristics is highly desired.